Improvement in cases



Jan-19, 1954 J. v. MILLER ET Al. 2,666,521

IMPROVEMENT IN CASES Filed Dec. 6, 1951 lllIIIIll/IIIII, E

lll/111111111 INVENTOKS JOSEPH V. MILLER ROBERT C. REED ATTORN Y aeeacai ciently act to retain the cover and pouch in assembled relation as described. The head portion 20 and retaining portion 2l of the hinge member I8 are both of larger diameter than the diameter of the openings 22 whereby said portions 20 and 2I will prevent accidental removal of the hinge member I8 from the openings/22. The extension 23 can subsequently be removed as by clipping to permit free and ready access to the interior of the pouch I0.

As shown in Fig. 2, it is desirable to provide one of the hinge members I8 adjacent each end of the case. However, a greater number of the hinge members I8 can be provided if desired.

The main body portion I9 of the hinge member I8 is of a controlled length substantially equal to or slightly shorter than the combined thick-A nesses of the Walls of the cover I5 and'pouch Il).y A Thus the head portion 2Q and retaining portion- 2I of the hinge member I8 will each be constantly urged toward the adjacent surface of the respective portions of the case 'and will thus continually'urge the cover I5 into closed relation with the pouch I0.

The cover I5 may, however, be manually moved into open relation with respect to the pouch I as shown in Fig. 5. In this instance the main body portion I9 of the hinge member I8 will be stretched and caused to elongate against its inherent resiliency and when the cover I is released the natural tendency of the body portion I5 to return to its normal shape and size will cause the cover to close.

A modied type of resilient hinge is shown in Figs. 6, 7 and8 and comprises an elongated strip of elastic thread 24, the end portions of which are inserted through the aligned openings 22 in thecover I5 and pouch I0 of the case. The extreme ends 25 of the thread 24 are knotted or otherwise prevented from withdrawing through the openings 22 and the main portion 26 of the inherent resiliency of the elastic thread 24 will` tend to continually urge the cover I5 into closed relation with the pouch I0. Manual forcefcan, however, be applied to open the cover whereupon theelastic thread 24 will be caused to elongate (Fig.r 8) and when the cover is released the inherent tendency of the thread to assume its initial shape and size will cause the cover to close.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that all of theV objects and advantages of the invention have been accomplished. It will be apparent, however, that manyk changes may be made in the detailsof construction, arrangement of parts and methodshown and described without departing fromv the spiritof the invention asexpressed in the accompanying claims. Therefore, it is to be understood that all matter set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in ka limiting sense.

We claim:

1. A case of the a plural-sided pouch having an open mouth, a separate cover for enclosing the open mouth `of said pouch, said cover having a top portion and a. continuous peripheral flange integral with and angularly extending from said top portion, said cover being shaped to fit over the open mouth of sald'pouch with said fiange overlying the adjacent sides of the pouch. one of said sides of the character described comprising pouch and portion of the flange overlying said side having a pair of spaced aligned openings, and hinge means connecting said cover to said pouch comprising a stud portion formed of resilient material and extending through said aligned openings in the side of pouch and adjacent overlying portion of the flange of said cover, and retaining means on each end of said stud portion of a diameter greater than the diameter of 'said aligned openings for preventing dislocation of said stud portion from said openings, one of said retaining means being formed of resilient material and characterized by its ability to compress uponl application of strain to an extent whereby it may be drawn through said aligned openings'and to subsequently return to its initial size and shape to form abutment means for preventing withdrawal of the stud portion under normal conditions of use, and said stud portion having a normal length `between said retaining means equal to about the thickness of said side of the pouch and overlying flange together whereby the hinge means will tend to continually4 and yieldably urge the cover into closed relation with the mouth of pouch.

2. A case of the character described comprising a plural-sided pouch having an open mouth, a separate cover for enclosing the open mouth of said pouch, said cover having a toprportion and a continuous peripheral flange extending angularly from said top portion, said cover being shaped to t over the open mouth of said pouch with said flange overlying the adjacent sides thereof, one of said sides of the pouch and portion of the flange overlying said side havinga pair of spaced aligned, openings therein, and hinge means connecting said cover to said pouch comprising an elastic strip having one end thereof extended'through one pair of said aligned openings in saidpouch and adjacent overlying flange and anchored within said pouch, said strip extending along the outersurface of said flange and having its other end extended through the remainingv pair of aligned openings in the pouch and flange and anchored withinr said pouch whereby said coveriwill be continually and yieldably urged in the direction of closed relation with said pouch.` Y

3. A spectacle case of the character described comprising aY plural-sided pouch of vsize and shape to seat a pair of spectacles and having an open .mouth through which the spectacles may be inserted, a separate cover having a top portion shaped to t over said open mouth of the pouch and having an angularly disposed continuous peripheral flange to overlie. the marginal portion of the sides of the pouch about said mouth, one ofthe sides of said pouch having a pair of spaced openings in said marginal portion thereof, and the adjacent portion ofthe ange overlying said marginal portion having apertures! therein aligned with said spaced openings, and resilient means extending through said aligned apertures' Vand openings, said `resilient Ymeans having portions thereof overlying the outwardly related surfaces of the flange and marginal portion of the pouch about the said' respective apertures and openings to maintain the cover and pouch in hingedly connected relation, and the intermediate portion of the resilient means between said overlying portions having a normal length not substantially exceeding the thickness of said ange'and marginal portion ofthe cover and pouch together whereby said resilient memberA will tend to continually and yieldably urge the cover into closed relation with said mouth of the pouch.

4. A spectacle case of the character described comprising a plural-sided pouch of size and shape to seat a pair of spectacles and having an open mouth through which the spectacles may be inserted, a separate cover having a top portion shaped to t over said open mouth of the pouch and having an angular disposed continuous peripheral flange to overlie the marginal portion of the sides of the pouch about said mouth, one of the sides of said pouch having a pair of spaced openings in said marginal portion thereof, the

adjacent portion ofl the ange overlying said marginal portion having apertures therein aligned with said spaced openings, and a pair of resilient members having a central body portion extending through s aid aligned apertures and openings, and terminating in enlarged end portions having a substantially flat surface overlying the outwardly related surfaces of the flange and marginal portion of the pouch about the said respective aperture and opening to maintain the cover and pouch in hingedly connected relation, and said central body portion of the resilient member between said enlarged end portions having a normal length substantially equal to the separation of said outwardly related surfaces when the cover and pouch are in closed relation whereby the resilient member will be stretched temporarily on swinging of the cover to an open position and will on release of the cover function to resiliently urge it to return into closed relation with said mouth of the pouch.

5. A spectacle case of the character described comprising a plural-sided pouch of size and shape to seat a pair of spectacles and having an open mouth through which the spectacles may be inserted, a separate cover having a top portion shaped to t over said open mouth of the pouch and having an angular disposed continuous peripheral flange to overlie the marginal portion of the sides of the pouch about said mouth, one of the sides of said pouch having a pair of spaced openings in said marginal portion thereof. and the adjacent portion of the flange overlying said marginal portion having apertures therein aligned with said spaced openings, rubber hinge means having a central body portion extending through said aligned apertures and openings, said hinge means having spaced retaining means thereon overlying the opposed outwardly related surfaces of the flange and marginal portion of the pouch about the said respective apertures and openings to maintain the cover and pouch in hingedly connected relation. and the normal length ot said central body portion of the resilient hinge means between said retaining means thereon not substantially exceeding the separation of said opposed outwardly related surfaces of said flange and marginal portion of the pouch whereby said resilient member will tend to continually and yieldably urge the cover into closed relation with said mouth of the pouch.

6. A spectacle case of the character described comprising a one-piece plural-sided pouch of size and shape to seat a pair of spectacles and having an open mouth through which the spectacles may be inserted, said pouch having an upwardly curving portion in the lower surface dividing the pouch into a pair of pockets, one for each of the lenses of the spectacles to be inserted therein and said upwardly curving portion functioning to support the bridge of said spectacles, a cover having a top portion shaped to fit over said open mouth of the pouch and having a continuous peripheral flange angled downwardly to overlie the marginal portion of the sides of the pouch about said mouth, one of the sides of said pouch lhaving a pair of spaced openings in said marginal portion thereof, and the adjacent portion of the flange overlying said marginalfportion having apertures therein aligned with said spaced openings, and resilient hinge means extending through said aligned apertures and openings, said resilient means having portions thereof overlying the outwardly related surfacesof the flange and marginal portion of the pouchabout the said respective apertures and openings to maintain the cover and pouch in hingedly connected relation, and the intermediate portion of the resilient member between said overlying portions having a normal length not substantially exceeding the separation of said outwardly related surfaces of said flange and marginal portion of the cover and pouch when in closed relation whereby said resilient means will function to continually and yieldably urge the cover into closed relation with said mouth of the pouch.

JOSEPH V. MILLER. ROBERT C. REED.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 747,175 Hill Dec. 15, 1903 1,735,704 Wilson Nov. 12, 1929 2,483,304 Vogel Sept. 27, 1949 2,507,965 Eichner May 16, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 397,416 Great Britain Aug. 24, 1933 

